Advertisement

NFL draft: Joe Burrow, en route to White House, still up in air on attending Senior Bowl

According to the father of LSU QB Joe Burrow, the possible No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL draft remains undecided on whether he will attend next week’s Senior Bowl.

What makes the decision more interesting for the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion is that the South Team will be coached by the Cincinnati Bengals, owner of the top pick. The Bengals have some connections to Burrow already but have tried their best to get him to attend.

Jimmy Burrow told TSN 690 Radio in Montreal on Thursday that Joe is still making his mind up on whether he'll make the trip to Mobile, Ala. for the Senior Bowl.

One possible issue for next week: Burrow suffered torn rib cartilage in the title-game victory, so it’s not clear if he’d be cleared to practice.

The Bengals probably would love to have Burrow down there even if he wasn’t able to play. There’s value in the staff meeting him and Burrow being exposed to how the Bengals operate in a game-week type of situation where they’re installing plays, going through meetings and evaluating the remainder of the Senior Bowl roster.

LSU QB Joe Burrow should make a decision on the Senior Bowl soon. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LSU QB Joe Burrow should make a decision on the Senior Bowl soon. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

For Jimmy Burrow, the former defensive coordinator at Ohio University, the idea of his son going to the rebuilding Bengals isn’t as bad as it might sound to some.

“We’ve talked about [potentially being drafted by Cincinnati],” Jimmy told TSN 690. “I can be in my seat in three and a half hours [driving from Athens, Ohio]. That’s certainly a positive.

“If you’re the top pick, or one of the top picks, you’re always going ... that’s the way the NFL draft is set up. You’re not going to a team that has a great record. So he’s excited to even be in that conversation, and if the Bengals do draft him he’s going to be happy.”

First, some important business to attend to

Dad also dropped this newsy nugget: Burrow was on a plane Thursday afternoon en route to the White House to meet President Donald Trump.

“He’s on a plane with the rest of the team to see the President of the United States at the White House,” Jimmy said. “That’s a fun thing.”

LSU returns home on Friday, and Burrow and his teammates will be taking part in a championship parade in Baton Rouge, La. on Saturday.

“Between now and this weekend, I think he’s going to make that decision on whether to play in the Senior Bowl or not,” Jimmy said.

Burrow was our projected pick to the Bengals in Yahoo Sports’ latest mock draft this week. The Bengals easily can move on from Andy Dalton without financial damage.

It’s been quite the week for Burrow. After beating Clemson on Monday, he found himself embroiled in this Odell Beckham Jr. cash giveaway fiasco. Then some old tweets of Burrow trashing a popular Cincinnati chili chain were dug up (and Burrow might not be wrong on his take, our Liz Roscher wrote). And now the White House visit, followed by the parade.

We’ll apparently have to wait at least a day to find out if next week will be as eventful as this one has been.

More from Yahoo Sports: